Hanson’s vote challenge hit by witness no-show

A legal challenge by One Nation founder
Pauline Hanson
against her narrow loss in the NSW election is on the brink of collapse after her star witness failed to appear in court.

Ms Hanson claims a whistleblower with links to the NSW Electoral Commission leaked an email alleging “a few dodgy electoral staff" mistakenly put 1200 votes for her in a pile of blank ballots in March.

The man, who identified himself as Michael Rattner, was to give evidence yesterday but Ms Hanson’s lawyer, Peter Lowe, told the Court of Disputed Returns he had “gone to ground". Mr Lowe, who had said the witness was a construction worker whose partner worked at the commission, admitted Ms Hanson and her legal team “don’t know what he looks like" and had not had recent contact with him.

Judge Peter McClellan said Ms Hanson could see she “can’t win" without the man’s evidence, and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Ms Hanson is challenging the count that gave the Greens’ Jeremy Buckingham and Nationals’ Sarah Mitchell the final seats in the Legislative Council at the election on March 26.

The court has the power to order a recount. If Ms Hanson’s claims are correct, this would oust one of the MPs and install Ms Hanson.

Outside court, Ms Hanson would not rule out the possibility the leaks were a hoax, but she said that she believed the witness was real and urged him to come forward.